


A Moment Alone

by hirusen



Series: The Tale Of Fireteam Praetor [7]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, EDZ (Destiny), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Io (Destiny), Language, Mars (Destiny), Memories, Mercury (Destiny), Nessus (Destiny), Past Relationship(s), Spending Time Together, Talking, The Dreaming City (Destiny), The Moon (Destiny), The Tangled Shore (Destiny), The Tower (Destiny), Titan (Destiny) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 02:13:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21228083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hirusen/pseuds/hirusen
Summary: Liam needed a moment away from all the chaos, and perhaps talk with a good friend.





	1. The Hanger

Liam dipped into the Hanger and quickly made his way over to the place Cayde-6 once was. He pressed his back against the grated wall and slid down, Colonel looking at him with an eager confusion. He chuckled before picking out a small bag of birdseed that Cayde was surprised his feathered friend enjoyed, placing a small handful in front of her before leaning against the grating once more. Liam closed his eyes and listened to Holliday bark orders to the others in the Hanger, finding amusement in the fact that some people had so much trouble following basic orders and tasks.

"...Cayde once told me that a Hunter in idle was never a good thing." He heard her call and Liam sighed deeply, standing up and walking over to her. He stood in front of a pallet jack that wasn't being used and decided to sit down in front of it. "Back from the Reef?" Holliday asked as she tightened up some loose bolts on the Sparrow frame she was working on, leaning her weight back onto her heels to lock her eyes with Liam's. "Something like that." Amanda sighed, turning her attention back onto the Sparrow frame before her. "I know you don't like talking too much when he's on your mind, but you remember I'm still here for you, right?"

Liam chuckled at her words, his vibrant blue eyes landing on her form. "How could I ever forget? ...You been doing ok?" He asked, knowing that there were still some nights where he'd find her asleep at her workstation, Cayde's cloak wrapped around her shoulders, the clear signs that she cried herself to sleep again on her face. Those were the nights he'd bunk up with her, the cloak he wore that honored Cayde-6's memory draped around himself as he slept next to her, the Ace of Spade clenched tightly in the palm of his hand. "I've been sleeping in my actual bed if that's what you mean." She replied glancing over to him again. "...You wanna grab my other set and help me out?" "Sparrow or ship?" "Ship. Blasted thing won't accept the new engine and I'm not sure why." Liam smiled to her, nodded his head, and grabbed the second set of tools Amanda had specially ordered for him when he found himself idling in the old Tower's hanger.

The hours flew by. Liam couldn't really remembered the last time he just allowed himself to not actually focus on something. Sure, he's played so much Gambit that everything he does is practically automatic, but even then he's aware of what's going on because there's always that chance of an enemy Invader taking out him and his team; the Vanguard strikes he's done so much that it's all numb to him, but he's still keeping an eye on his teammates in case they happen to get into some trouble. But this? Repairing a ship to the point that it's practically new? **That** is something he can just _do_.

Liam's always been an expert on repairing machines of any kind, and it was thanks to him wanting to patch up his first friend and teammate, Echo, that he discovered--or maybe remembered--that he could actually repair Exos. Anything mechanical, in any form, Liam just excelled at; he found it peaceful, really, meditative even to just work on a Sparrow or ship by himself, or with Amanda...or with Cayde when he was still alive. The three of them working to mod Liam's current ship with everything that wasn't regulated just to see what the fuck would happen...

"Feelin' better, pal?" Liam snapped around to Amanda with a grin, jumping down from the ship. "Yeah. ...I needed this." "I know. You ever need to clear your head, I've always got some birds or Sparrows for you to tinker with. And, you've gotta show me a few of your tricks, yeah?" Liam chuckled warmly to his friend. "Only if you teach me how to play decently against Zavala at chess." Amanda laughed with a bright smile that Liam hasn't seen her wore in what feels like a long time. "Deal."


	2. Dead Orbit

Arach Jalaal is no stupid man, nor a dimwitted Awoken. While he's still never sure how Hunters manage to slip past him, he's always quickly aware of their presences; Liam's on the other hand, took longer. Perhaps it was because of what has happened to him that makes his Light harder to sense; perhaps it was because he's one of the most skilled Hunters they've ever seen after Shin Malphur and Cayde-6. "Do not despair." Jalaal said as he glanced over his shoulder to the stairs, spotting Liam on them through the railing.

"Is it that obvious?" Liam asked with a soft, defeated chuckle. "You were never one to normally do so." Jalaal spoke, watching as Liam shifted to glance at him. The Hunter looked lost. In all of the time that he's known him, this is the first time he's appeared this way. "...What troubles you?" "...I'm recalling some of my old memories." "About Cayde?" "Him, my life before being a Guardian, the things I've done." Jalaal sighed deeply. Hunters were always more likely to recall such things, but for Liam that could be dangerous; so many enemies of humanity know of him, and if he shows any sort of weakness, he'll be hunted like an injured rabbit.

"That normally doesn't lead you to feel despair, however." Liam chuckled again, this time lighter. "I think that might be more from my Ascendant Throne than from me." Liam spoke, finally standing up and moving to stand by Arach's side. "The thought of him still causes you pain?" "I don't think it'll ever stop, to be honest." Jalaal nodded with a soft sigh. He understood the severe loss the Hunters felt at the loss of their Vanguard. Cayde meant a lot to just more than his Hunters, but they were the ones you could see the pain in the most, and the easiest.

"...There's some supplies we requested from some of the other factions, as well as the locations of cargo that's been...misplaced, if you'd like something to keep you busy for a while?" Jalaal offered and Liam smiled warmly to him. "I think I will. Thanks, Jalaal." "We may have a nihilistic view of events, both past and future, but we never worry about the present." The duo locked eyes then. "Not while _you're_ with us, Liam."


	3. Future War Cult

Lakshmi-2 has predicted many things, but seeing Liam Deklon walking into the area Future War Cult has sectioned off wasn't one of them. He walked up to her calmly and slowly, worry in his eyes and fatigue in his movements. "I see the scars of time and war." She greeted, Liam not even denying her words as he sat before her. He seemed entranced by the way the surrounding lights dimmed until only the one behind her bathed the space around him in its light. Liam does have scars from time and war; the war between the enemies of humanity and himself, between him and Atheon, between him and Crota, between him and Oryx, between him and Aksis, the entirety of the Red War, the constant war between Guardians and the Vex that only worsened on Mercury, the new front against the Hive on Mars as well as one of their Gods, of the one-man army he became at the loss of his Vanguard and love.

And between all of this, he's had no time to rest. No time for these wounds to turn into something painless; all of Liam's wounds were rough, jagged scars that for the most part didn't bother him. Except for the most recent one on his heart. Lakshmi isn't a woman to worry about much, but the state of this one Guardian does. "...Tell me, Lakshmi," Liam started, pulling the Exo out of her thoughts. "How does the War Cult see this line of events playing out?" Lakshmi glanced down for a moment. "...Not, how we were hoping. Great loss is coming, but not from more death." "Loss of what then? What would make the Lightness and Guardians fearful again?"

Lakshmi understood now why Echo always talked so fondly of Liam. The Titan was part of the Chosen One's fireteam, and part of the FWC, but he always praised how his Hunter thought. And now she understood why, and while she hated that he was part of Dead Orbit, was grateful he wasn't apart of the New Monarchs. It was just like the saying used to describe him said: mind of a Warlock, instincts of a Hunter, strength of a Titan. Liam knew the coming loss would cause both Guardians and those they protect to become afraid. He understood that something precious, and taken for granted, was going to be stripped away, and soon.

"From what we can tell, the thoughts in our mind may not be safe. The Darkness may try to exploit our memories, though in what way, I cannot say." "Not to mention how... Oryx as told me he's felt the pull of something powerful stirring beneath the Moon, but until the restriction is lifted, there's nothing I can do. And, I..." Liam clasped his hands together in his lap, having shifted so he sat crossed-legged like Lakshmi was. "I've been having strange visions." "What kind?" "...Warnings, I think. From the Nine if I understand them correctly."

"And what have you seen?" "...The same Pyramids that the Traveler showed me upon its awakening. And they're closing in." "That is cause for concern, but I believe for now, it would be better if you focused on the current and most active threat. The people are always at ease when they see you out in the field or in the Vanguard and Crucible feeds." Liam sighed, his shoulders that had been so taunt with stress finally relaxing. "...If it's alright with you, I'd like to mediate here for a while." Lakshmi gestured to one of the empty chairs. "You may not bare our colors, but you are apart of us just the same."


End file.
